Elbow Pain

TENNIS ELBOW / GOLFERS ELBOW

These terms refer to tightness and pain of the tendons on either side of the elbow. The extensor muscles and tendons of the forearm, who are responsible for extension of the wrist can get inflamed (tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis). The same can happen with the flexors, the muscles on the inside of the elbow. Overuse can result in stiffness in that area and/or weakness in the hand or fingers (medial epicondylitis).

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SYMPTOMS:

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• Pain and/or tenderness around the elbow and lower arm

• Weakness in the hand and fingers

• Radiating pain in the upper arm

• Swelling around the elbow

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The symptoms are either a result of an overuse injury (labour intensive work such as gardening, painting or gyprocking) or a result from a problem in another area of the body. When there’s a problem in the mid back or the neck, sometimes the body compensates, and the arm pain is a result of that.

​Lateral epicondylalgia VS Lateral epicondylitis

Lateral elbow pain can also be a result of cervical radiculopathy. The outside of the elbow has nerves that originate from the C6, C7 nerve roots meaning the pain may be referred from the compression or irritation of these nerve roots in the neck. Our physiotherapists always screen the joints above and below an area experiencing pain as the pain may be getting referred from another area in the body. This is becoming more commonly observed in practice and is supported by the most current scientific evidence.

ELBOW PAIN TREATMENT

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We first need to search for the cause of the problems, before an accurate treatment plan can be made. Is the origin of the problem where the pain is felt?

Fascia treatment in different areas of the body will mostly be combined with stretching, education, strengthening exercises and dry needling.

In the bellow video, Kenny from Physio K runs you through a few exercises for your elbow and your lower arm. These are good if you have elbow issues, such as golfer's elbow or tennis elbow or if you have tightness in your lower arm. These exercises should be an addition to your physiotherapy treatment to do at home.

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Watch a video with elbow exercises

1. Extensor stretch

Sitting or standing, extend your elbow with your palm facing down. Then, make a fist with your thumb inside your fist. Bend your fist down and help push that one down with your other hand. Hold this position for about 20 seconds. Make sure your elbow is straight and your thumb is inside. Do this two to three times in a row.

2. Stretch of the flexors of the forearm

Standing up in front of a table, turn your hand around so the ball of your hand is facing away from you. Try to push your palm down; you should feel a stretch in your forearm. This can be done with the fingers over the edge of the table (beginner) or with the whole hand on the table (advanced). Hold for about 20-25 seconds and then just shake it out and repeat 3 times.

3. Eccentric strengthening (for tennis elbow)

You'll need a weight for this exercise, a weight of about a kilo. If you don't have a weight you can use a pack of sugar or salt, something that's compact enough to hold in your hand.

With your elbow totally straight and your palm facing down, holding the weight. Start with the weight up and slowly release in an eccentric movement. Divide this whole range in six seconds. Then, with your other hand, you'll assist to come up again and then repeat the exercise.

This is an eccentric exercise to strengthen the tendons. Do 3 sets of 10 repetitions and build up to 3 sets of 20.